1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to firearms, and more specifically to the construction of multi-projectile ammunition and wads that are interposed between ammunition propellant and ammunition projectiles.
In one embodiment, a more or less conventional shotgun shell, instead of having the conventional plurality of spherical pellets or shot contained therein, carries a plurality of stacked disks that can spread on firing to effect a greater stopping power on a target, i.e., each disk will impact on a larger area and, collectively, yield a greater total momentum on striking the target.
In alternative embodiments, the disks are frangible and, upon impact, shatter and inflict greater damage, including wound and trauma damage upon the target without adversely affecting the striking momentum. The use of either solid or frangible disks has a multitude of anti-personnel applications.
In addition to a plurality of stacked disks for use as projectiles, an embodiment of a new shotshell wad for protecting projectiles during the initial acceleration spike is comprised primarily of at least two concentric hollow cylinders longitudinally interposed between the projectiles and the propellant. These multiple concentric cylinders effectively cushion the multiple disks and prevent damage during the firing of the shell.
Alternative embodiments of the wad of this invention contain alignment arms useful for guiding the multiple disk projectiles though the shell casing and the gun barrel and preventing frictional power loss due to contact between the projectiles and the gun barrel.
2. Related Art
A great variety of frangible shells have been designed that, when fired from a gun or cannon or dropped, as with a bomb in the form of a single shell, carries an explosive charge that explodes during flight, to fragment the shell into a multitude of individual components either during flight, or upon firing of a timed fuse, or, alternatively, explodes on impact with a target.
One such device is disclosed in the Drake patent, U.S. Pat. No. 109,600, wherein the interior of a projectile was scored in such manner such that when the enclosed charge was ignited, the single missile would break up into a multiple of parts flying in all directions described by the scoring, with few, if any, in the direction of travel or the forward target. In the Rice patent, U.S. Pat. No. 216,974, a single projectile bullet in axial segments had a separate head. On firing, the head separated and the axial segments were caused to fly apart in the air due to resistive air forces operating on a concave tip on the leading edge of the segments. The small axial segments flew in a conical format in the direction of travel of the main bullet to do additional damage to a target but had little or not "stopping" power.
The patent for Ffrench, U.S. Pat. No. 1,244,046, disclosed a projectile containing a plurality of stacked apertured metal disks that possessed a variety of slots to facilitate fragmentation thereof on impact. Such disks, however, were carried by a fired shell to a position above a target. After a predetermined interval had elapsed, a fuse in the shell detonated a charge, dispersing the disks rearward and downward to rain on personnel below.
The Sweeley patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,343,818, discloses a conventional shot gun shell with a plurality of stacked cylinders contained therein which disperse on firing and yield a greater stopping effect on a target at a greater distance than conventional small pellets. However, due to the necessarily small number of such cylinders and the relatively small diameter of each cylinder, the stopping power is diminished because of the ease of penetration into the target and the slower release of energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,413,008, to Taglialetela, teaches a fragmentation bomb having a plurality of stacked annular "anvils" all inclined in the same direction to effect a concentrated umbrella fragmentation pattern upon explosion of the bomb. The disclosure of Sylwester, U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,168, showed a shaped charge missile warhead with a plurality of stacked elliptical disks inclined at a common angle with high explosive disposed between the disks. On detonation, the inclined disks and missile body effected a shaped charge in a single direction against, for example, ground troops.
In a later development of Henderson, in U.S.S.I.R. H1047, a fragmentation type bomb was designed with a warhead using notched rods. On detonation, the bomb shell and the notched rods fragmented into a plurality of similar shaped and sized particles that flew in all directions but could not be directed in a specific direction.
In the related art, there are described multiple component shells or missiles that separate after firing, as a result of an explosive charge carried by the missile. Most of these disclosures deal with fragmentation bombs and shells. Rice, however, teaches a separable bullet that separates, in part to cause additional damage to a target but with little attention paid to stopping power, a primary concern of the present invention.
Ffrench, on the other hand, discloses a bomb or missile with multiple frangible disks designed to separate in mid air on detonation only. This is primarily an anti-personnel weapon that is designed to fall on troops in trenches below, with no thought to stopping power.
The Sweeley shotgun shell provides fewer projectiles, but of larger size to provide a compromise between the stopping power of a single projectile and the wider impact area of a shotgun charge. Stopping power is an expressed concern of the present invention that seeks to provide such stopping power.
It has long been deemed desirable to have a device that could provide greater short range stopping power on a target by providing for the quick release of energy upon impact. The quicker the energy release, the greater the shock impact upon the target. It is well known that larger caliber weapons are capable of providing substantial "stopping power". However, because of the relative sizes of the single projectile and target, there is some concern with accuracy since a relatively small projectile must strike the target within a limited area of effectiveness.
Shotguns are used to deploy a large number of projectiles with a wider area of impact. However, each of the projectiles carries only a small part of the energy of the load and therefore, because of their large number and small size, loses energy during flight and cannot deliver the same impact to a target. Shotgun shells can be loaded with fewer projectiles of larger size. However, there yet remains a long standing need for a weapon with substantial stopping power over a wide area of impact to reduce the need for great accuracy in aiming.
In large bore weapons, there is typically a wad interposed between the propellant and the projectile. This wad serves a multiple of purposes, primary among these is a sealing action provided to an area forward of the propellant gasses, thus enhancing the acceleration due to the combustion of propellant. It also acts as a buffer between the propellant and the projectile(s). The cushioning of the wad typically is relatively minor.
The Gardner patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,932, discloses a wad containing a hinge portion between the shot cup and the propellant cup. This hinge portion compresses upon combustion of the propellant much in the manner of a pair of scissors. While providing a cushioning effect, this wad only minimally cushions the pressure peak accompanying the combustion of the propellant.